Castles, Gardens, and a Little Welsh Wandering

Early morning Selfie at Conwy Castle Wall

North Wales • Conwy, Harlech, Bodnant & Caernarfon

Some travel days are carefully planned.

This wasn't one of them.

What started as a visit to Conwy Castle turned into a full day exploring North Wales, with three castles, one spectacular garden, and more winding roads than I thought possible.

Our first stop was Conwy Castle, the fortress we had been admiring from our dinner table at Bodysgallen Hall. Built by Edward I in the 13th century, it remains remarkably well preserved. We arrived early enough to have much of the castle to ourselves and spent the morning wandering the walls, climbing towers, and taking in views of the town and estuary below.

favorite details was the wildflowers growing from the ancient stone walls.

The Castle is amazingly well preserved. Beautiful wild flowers spring from the mortar like artist's paint exploding off a neutral canvas. The towers stand tall and intact, revealing the grand hall and the King’s chambers in all their glory, like a well-crafted game of Clue.

Beautiful Blooms

After Conwy, we traded battlements for blooms and spent the afternoon at Bodnant Garden.

The timing couldn't have been better. The famous Laburnum Arch was in full bloom, creating a tunnel of cascading golden flowers that looked almost unreal. We wandered through terraces, woodland paths, and gardens overflowing with color. There was a reflecting pool that looked liked it was the inspiration for Monet’s The Water Lily Pond.

The castle and gardens were impressive, but the drive may have been even more memorable.

We followed winding roads through ancient towns with stone houses and slate roofs. We passed a slate mine where purple flowers that exploded from the rocks like fireworks."

No wonder all the houses have slate roofs. You can’t believe how high the mountains of slate piles are. This picture can’t do it justice as it doesn’t show the scale.

Harlech: The Town That Closed School for a Helicopter

After spending the afternoon at Bodnant Garden, we pointed the car toward Harlech.

Truth be told, Harlech wasn't on my must-see list.

It was Scott's.

While stationed in Wales in the 1990s, he and his helicopter crew were forced to make an emergency landing near Harlech. What could have been a stressful situation turned into one of those stories that stays with you for decades. The townspeople welcomed the crew warmly, and while they waited for replacement parts to arrive, the local school was even closed so the children could come see the helicopter.

More than thirty years later, Scott wanted to see the town again.

The castle and view was impressive, perched dramatically above the coast, but I think the real reason for the visit was gratitude. Travel has a way of bringing old stories full circle, and it was special to stand in a place that had been part of Scott's life long before we ever imagined taking this trip together.

On the drive back toward Bodysgallen, we made one final stop at Caernarfon Castle. What was supposed to be a quick drive-by turned into another walk around one of Wales' most impressive medieval sites.

Another stop another amazing castle! What a surprise! That may have been the theme of the day.

North Wales exceeded every expectation. Between the castles, gardens, coastline, and countryside, we barely scratched the surface. It is exactly the kind of place that rewards slowing down and leaving room for the unexpected.

And after a day of castles and gardens, we returned to Bodysgallen Hall, already wishing we had just one more day. And now on to Cotswold!